Before The Beginning
by Deus Orion
Summary: He thought he was just a human turned shinigami, turned Vizard . Turns out he was a shinigami from birth. But what if there was more to it than that? A bit of one sided Harribel/Ichigo. Inspired by chapters 527-530.


**A/N: Hello readers, this is just a quick little three-shot that popped into my head after I read chapter 530 and the chapter when ichigo is told to find out about his past before he can get Zangetsu back.**

**Special thanks to Psudocode Samarai for beta'ing this chapter.**

**-Location: Karakura Riverbank/Time Era: Feudal Japan-**

A small boy no older than seven sat near the edge of a riverbank. His bright, almost neon orange hair was drenched with large flakes of dried blood. Giving a small sniffle the young boy collapsed onto his knees before sitting into a fetal position, pulling his legs closer to his chest the boy began to weep loudly. A few minutes later the child's crying died down into small whimpers and sniffles. Wiping his brown eyes with his kimono the small boy grunted in pain before grabbing his chest and pulling his kimono open, revealing a small chain link attached to a hexagon plate that sat in the middle of his chest. Slowly the chains began to rattle before dozens of small mouths opened up on the last two links and began to eat themselves.

Watching as whatever this thing was eat itself away the child only grimaced. This was that fifth time that this happened since he had woken up, this first time it happened the boy had tried to yank the chain out of his chest, only to scream in agony as a bolt of pain shot through his entire body and the tiny mouths on the chain began to bite his hand.

Standing back up the orange haired boy began to wander around the riverbank as if he were looking for something. Cupping his hands around his mouth the boy took a deep breath before yelling "Momma!"

"ICHIGO!"

Hearing his name screamed, Ichigo turned his head to look at small hill that over looked the riverbank, almost immediately his bloodied face brightened up as he saw his mother stumbling down the hill. "Momma!" he yelled happily, taking off in a sprint he raced to meet up with his mother. As soon as his mother hit the bottom of the hill Ichigo's demeanor saddened as he saw his mother running off in other direction, where was she going? Did she not see him running towards her? Watching as she suddenly sunk to her knees and collapse over something Ichigo began to run towards her. Something about the spot where she collapsed intrigued him, every since he woke up something about that spot drew his interest. Finally reaching his mother, Ichigo paled at what he saw her hovering over.

It was him.

Covered in blood, and his head twisted at an odd angle.

Feeling his eyes well up tears Ichigo began to shake his head back and forth in denial. That couldn't be him-no, it wasn't him. Because he was standing right here and his head was perfectly aligned with his body and he wasn't covered in blood…and…and…he wasn't…grabbing two fistfuls of his orange hair the confused seven year old screamed loudly as tears began to run down his face. Pulling his hands out of his hair Ichigo's heart skipped a beat as he stared at his hand. It was covered with blood. "No…no, no, no…this isn't right."

"Ichigo…"

Snapping his head back to face his mother Ichigo stared at her with wide eyes.

"Ichigo…my baby, how did this happen to you?"

"No! Momma I'm right here!" Waving his arms frantically, Ichigo tried to get his mothers attention. Stepping in front of her he tried to get her attention once more, ignoring the small pain in his chest*."Momma, see I'm right here in front of you! Cant you see me?" Panic began to set into Ichigo as his mother continued to ignore him. "MOMMA! Can't you see me?! Can't you-Ack!" being cut off mid speech Ichigo grasped his chest as a blast of pain hit him, falling to his knees the orange haired boy stared horrified at the chains connected to his chest. The tiny mouths had returned and it seemed that they where chewing at themselves much faster than before. Ichigo had a gut feeling that when those chains were gone something bad was going to happen.

"Momma!" Ichigo began, "Help me, it hurts so badly and I'm scared!" Suddenly the pain intensified and Ichigo howled loudly in agony. Stretching out one arm the pain stricken boy reached for his mother pathetically. Only to fall straight through his mother and straight onto the ground. Closing his eyes when the pain because to unbearable Ichigo opened them slightly when he heard a shuffling noise, it was his mother, she had gotten up from her knee and had 'Ichigo' held in her arms bridal style. Her black bangs covered her eyes as she began to walk away slowly, sniffling every few seconds. "Momma…" Ichigo whimpered quietly, "…don't leave me…" just like before the orange haired boys cries went unheard as his mother continued to walk away. Feeling a cold breeze sweep over him Ichigo turned his attention back to that chain that dangled at his chest.

Only, the chains weren't there.

Neither was the hexagon plate.

Suddenly a fist sized black hole exploded from his chest, causing him to spit out a glob of blood before a white substance began to rush out of the hole. Before Ichigo could panic anymore than he was, he sudden began to dry heave before throwing up more of the white substance. When the weird substance began to cover his head Ichigo's eyes darted around nervously, just before the last of his face was covered Ichigo caught one last glimpse of his mother before she disappeared over the hilltop. As the transforming boy watched his mother leave and unbelievable rage filled within him, how could she? How could she leave him here scared and alone? She was his mother! She was to protect and help him! Not desert him and leave him to die! A growl started from deep within him before it grew into a loud, echoing screech. As the last of his right eye was covered with the white substance Ichigo vowed that he would make the woman he called his mother pay.

**-A few hours later-**

Opening his eye slowly Ichigo groaned as the bright light of the sun beamed directly into his eyes. Standing up slowly the orange haired boy wobbled slightly as he tried balance himself. Examining his surroundings the orange haired boy tensed as a rush of memories flooded his brain.

He remembered his village being attacked by bandits.

He remembered hiding by the riverbank.

The horde of villagers that ran past him.

The one man that had stumbled, and ending up pushing him down the riverbanks hill.

Then waking up to find out that he was dead and his own mother-.

When Ichigo's thoughts found him mother, his entire mind went blank. He clenched his fists tightly before letting out a low growl. Wild instinct began to fuel his body as he tensed his legs and disappeared with a buzzing noise, reappearing on the edge of a roof the orange haired boy whipped his head around wildly, looking for the cause of his sadness and anger. Locking his gaze onto a small black haired woman kneeling in front of a wooden cross, with another tense of his legs he disappeared with another buzzing noise, appearing right on top of the cross, crushing it with his weight and startling the woman kneeling in front of him.

The woman gave a small yelp as the wooden cross bearing her sons name shattered into splinters. Shuffling backwards, she stared at the figure in front of her with fear. Whatever this thing was stood around 5'11" and was dressed in black bandages, that started from its neck and moved down to arms before puffing out at the wrists and turning into two empty sleeves. Following the rest of the bandages she found them continuing down to the figures torso and legs and stopping at the calves before puffing out into loose pants legs. In addition, what looked like thin white needle riddle the creatures body. What scared the woman the most though was the creatures head. Where should have been a face was a porcelain white mask with two eye holes and a set of wicked looking teeth with three bright red stripes curving over the left eye slot and stopping at the where the nose would begin*. "W-who are y-you…? WH-what do you-you want?"

Staring at the woman he had called mother Ichigo's mind began to fill with anger before he began to let out some unknown power from within him. _Reiatsu, _his mind informed him. Moving faster than the human eye could see, Ichigo had his hand wrapped around his mothers throat in an iron grip and began to slowly to lift her short stature off the ground. "You left me." His voice whispered with a watery echo, "I cried for you and you left me!" tightening his grip on his mothers throat Ichigo's body began to shake. "I was alone, scared, and hurting…_AND YOU LEFT ME_!" He howled loudly. Raising his free hand up to his mother's head Ichigo stared at the woman's tear riddled face. Very slowly, a thin bone white blade began to emerge from the darkness of his sleeve. "I'll KILL YOU!" Right before the blade touched his mother's throat, a large blue fireball slammed into the side of Ichigo, causing him to drop his mother and screech in pain while shaking his head wildly.

Seeing opportunity at an escape the terrified woman made a mad dash for the small town in the distance, only for her to stop as the bone white sword from before spear through her chest and caused her to topple to the ground dead.

Reeling his extended sword-like arm back, Ichigo turned and faced the direction where the fireball had come from. High in the sky stood a middle-aged man with black hair and a goatee wearing a black Shihakusho with and armband with the number 10 inscribed on it, along a katana strapped to his waist. _Shinigami, they want to kill us, run. _His mind informed him. Hissing at the unknown man Ichigo roared one last time before tapping at the air, causing a black void to snap open in front of him. Jumping into the abyss Ichigo took off into the darkness as his mind informed him what a Garganta wasclosed behind him.

Landing with a soft thump in a small dune Ichigo stared at the vast wasteland in front of him. For what appeared to go on for mile and miles was nothing but sand, with a few decaying trees here and there, sliding down the pile of sand Ichigo began to wander into the vast desert. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud, _Home. _The voice in the back of his head answered him.

"Home…" the boy mumbled quietly

**-Time skip: Approximately 10 Years since Ichigo arrived 'home'-**

Sidestepping a sloppy punch from his opponent Ichigo lashed out at the extended limb with his empty sleeve, causing a bone white sword to shoot out from within it and cut off the offending limb. Retracting the blade, the orange haired hollow jumped into the air before spinning into a bone shattering heel kick and delivering it to his opponents head. Landing silently in the sand Ichigo humped before crouching over his dead enemy, "So much for you Hexapodous." He muttered, forcibly tearing off a piece of the spider shaped hollow mask and shoving it into his mouth.

As he ate his deceased foes, face Ichigo silently reflected on his past since he arrived at the wasteland called Hueco Mundo, or as his brain called it 'home'. Following his arrival in Hueco Mundo the orange haired hollows brain immediately began to fire off questions he unknowingly held the answers too.

He was a hollow, a spiritual creature of the afterlife. A creature that held an endless hunger for souls.

"It looks like you had fun" A female voice interrupted his thoughts. Turning his head to face the new voice Ichigo grunted, behind him stood a giant bipedal female shark. Three large dorsal fins sat of the back of her neck going downwards in a straight while two smaller and elongated dorsal fins sat on her arms. Her body was a ghostly white except for her under belly and tail tip, which were a sky blue color. Seeing as she was not going to get an actual reply the female hollow shark began to speak once more, "Come, it is getting late, let us find shelter-"

"How the hell do you know if it's late or not Tier?" Tier Harribel, an Adjuchas class hollow that Ichigo had met not to long ago when he arrived in Hueco Mundo. According to Halibel's word Ichigo had peaked her interest, and the two had become somewhat acquainted to each other. "The sky looks the same every fucking day." Ichigo interrupted rudely, causing Tier to glare at him for interrupting her, she looked ready to give a remark but chose not to. Instead, she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You've changed," She noted dully.

Ichigo gave his fellow hollow a confused look before he glanced down at his right arm. She was right, his once pitch black arm was now more bulky as if he gained muscle and was a snow white with red tribal like tattoos going down the side of it. Standing up, Ichigo began to examine him new body. Like his arm the rest of his body was a bulky white with red tribal like tattoo on the sides of his arms and legs, feeling something rub against his back repeatedly Ichigo reach out and grabbed a fist full of long bushy orange hair. "I thought you said evolving hurt?" he asked, turning to Tier expecting answer. Clicking his clawed hands and feet together, he grunted at the uneasiness he felt with his new body.

"Hmm, yes for some hollows evolving _is _painful, for others- like you- who have an abundance of reiatsu evolving can be painless and unnoticeable." Tier answered, turning around she began to head towards a large rock formation in the distance, "Now are you coming or not? It was quite troublesome to find you this time…" turning her head over her shoulder Tier sighed at the gaping hole that lead into Menos Forest. For a minute, the female adjuchas hollow contemplated following the orange haired hollow into the nest of the menos before deciding against it. Eventually she would find Ichigo, or Ichigo would find her, whichever came first.

**-Time Skip:90 Years since Ichigo entered Menos Forest**-

Sidestep. Duck. Bifurcate.

Ichigo repeated these three steps as he battle a large group of Menos Grande hollows, it wasn't the usual pray he went after, but it was all he could find at the moment. Dispatching the last hollow, he frowned at his handiwork. Menos Grande's were not that hard to fight and did not really Ichigo that rush of adrenaline that he usually got when fighting an opponent. Lately a lot of higher class hollows had begun to disappear, some had gone to serve under a hollow named Baraggan, who called himself the King of Hueco Mundo. Others had in search of supposed Shinigami in Hueco Mundo who could give hollows more power. Realizing that he had already ate the masks of his opponents, Ichigo turned to face the room of Menos Forest. Immediately he began to charge up a cero, feeling that he had enough energy packed into the bright red doom blast he let the ball of energy go, causing it to explode into a red beam and tearing through the roof of Menos Forest. Tensing his legs, the orange haired hollow disappeared in a Sonido and reappear on the sandy grounds of Hueco Mundo. As soon as Ichigo's feet touched the sand, he was on the defensive as he began to dodge a series of swipes and stabs from a large white fin shaped sword. Getting annoyed with the constant attacks Ichigo swung out with right arm, catching the fin shaped blade on his forearm he grunted as he fought for advantage against the blade as it dug into his hierro slightly. Sliding his arm down the blade, he grabbed the flat of it before yanking it and its own towards him, rearing his head back, he delivered a skull shattering head butt to his now identified female opponent. Skipping back a few steps he gave an echoing grow, flexing his fingers he readied his claws for a fight.

Getting a good look at his opponent Ichigo couldn't help but feel that he knew this female hollow from somewhere. She was a head shorter than Ichigo, and looked like a cross between a shark and a woman. Most of her body was a dull white while her stomach and breasts were a light blue color, attached to her right arm was a large sword that looked like a sharks fin. A small dorsal fin stuck out on each of her shoulders while a single large one jutted out from her back, surrounding her cheeks, jaw, and forehead were what Ichigo guessed was her hollow mask. The rest of her face was a mocha brown color while here eyes were a sea-green color, completing the mystery woman's look was a patch of blonde hair that covered her face slightly.

Realizing the woman had gone on the offensive Ichigo took up a defensive stance, expecting the female hollow to attack with her sword. What he didn't expect was for the woman to stop mid charge and swing her weapon with a cry a 'La Gota!' causing a torrent of water to shoot out from the tip of the sword and slam into Ichigo with great force. Flying back a few good feet Ichigo groaned lightly, rolling over on his knees and hands, he tried to shake the dizziness out of his head. '_I did not see that coming…'_ feeling something press against the back of his head, he regained his bearings.

"Yield."

"Like hell I will yo-"

"Harribel-sama!"

"Harribel?" Ichigo questioned aloud.

Turning both their heads to face the new voice, Ichigo and Harribel watched as a trio of adjuchas class hollows rushed towards them. One resembled a large lion that was a light brown color with what looked like white bracers on its legs and a gold mask with a long braided ponytail going down its back. The second hollow was a large anaconda like hollow with a grey under belly, pink eyes, and three pink dots going across its cheek. The last hollow resembled a large doe most of its body was a dark grey color while what looked like white shoulder plates sat on its back and shoulders, the rest of its body was covered in dark brown fur. As the three hollows finally reached the duo and surrounded them, Ichigo could tell they were female by their voices. "Harribel-sama," they spoke in unison, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine girls," Harribel answered quietly.

"But your bleeding!" the snake like hollow informed.

Raising her eyebrow Harribel reached up and touched her forehead, pulling her fingers back, her eyes widened as a small splotch of blood sat on her fingertips. "It seems so Sung-sun…"

"You bastard!" the lion like hollow snarled, stepping forward angrily "You hurt Harribel-sama!"

"Stand down Mila-Rose." Harribel ordered calmly, Mila-Rose looked ready to protest at the order, but stepped back anyway. "I thought I told you three to-"

"Harribel." Ichigo interrupted the leader of the three adjuchas as he stood up, ignoring as Harribel kept her blade on him. "As in Tier? Harribel?" he questioned, a look of uneasiness flashed across Harribel's eyes before she nodded slowly. At the confirmation of his opponents nod Ichigo gave a small watery chuckle. "It's been a while Harribel," Ichigo commented offhandedly "I was-"

"Just who are you?" Harribel cut in.

Raising his non-existent eyebrow Ichigo stared at the female hollow, "It's me Tier, Ichigo." At his name, him Harribel lowered her sword and stared at the orange haired hollow.

"Hmm, you've changed. Again." She noted dully.

"Say what now?" Raising her fin-sword Harribel turned it so the flat side faced Ichigo. Staring into his reflect Ichigo was baffled, staring back at him was a white skull with to bull like horn jutting out of the sides of it. His body had lost its bulky frame, and was now back to it somewhat lanky form. On his shoulders were three spikes that looked like shoulder pads, his once bushy orange hair was now flat and stopped at the middle of his back. Both of his hands were now two long swords with two spikes jutting out from the back where his elbow started. "How did I not notice this!" he hollered angrily.

"Well you are pretty empty headed…" Harribel responded.

At her remark Ichigo scoffed, "Quiet fish head."

"Pardon me Harribel-sama…" Sung-sun interrupted, "but do you know this hollow?" Facing her entourage Harribel answered her followers.

"Yes, this is Ichigo, I traveled with him during my time as an adjuchas" At her answer the three hollows seem ok with the presence of Ichigo and gave him a greeting in which he returned with his own. Turning her attention back to Ichigo, Harribel pinned him with a stare. "I was wondering when you would return, I was beginning to think that you were dead." Rolling his eyes at the statement Ichigo placed one of his sword hands behind his head.

"Pfft, as if I could die to a bunch of Menos," He flaunted, turning his head to the side Ichigo hummed lightly. "…Hey, have you heard about theses rumors going around about the King of Hueco Mundo and the Shinigami powering up hollows?" turning back to Harribel, Ichigo caught the female hollow quickly whip her head to the side as if it had been like that the whole time. The orange haired hollow swore he could have seen a bit if red peeking out from the edges of Harribel's mask.

"Yes, I was just on my way to visit this so called 'king' myself it appears he has built a throne he calls Las Noches…care to join me?" the female Vasto Lorde asked. Shrugging his shoulder the male hollow grunted. Before following Harribel to a large red and white structure in the distance.

Behind them the three followers of Harribel stood there dumbfounded, sharing a look they quickly caught up with the two Vasto Lorde's before they got to far ahead.

**-Time Skip: 1 Year after Ichigo meets up with Harribel again.-**

Inside of a large rock formation sat Ichigo and Harribel's three followers not to far away sat Harribel herself against a wall with her arms crossed. It had been one year since the group had visited the so called King of Hueco Mundo, nothing about the 'King' had really interested the group so they had left promptly after arriving, the only real conflict the group had was with Harribel and Ichigo against a fat hammerhead shark like hollow. Sliding off the table Ichigo stood up and stretched lightly before heading for the cave exit. "Well I'm out…" the orange haired hollow called out over his shoulder waving lazily with his sword-arm, before exiting the orange haired hollow suddenly stop and turned around to come face to face with Harribel.

"How long will you be gone?" She questioned.

Ichigo shrugged his shoulders at the question, "Who knows? I've been wanting to explore the Human World this panther hollow told me about in Menos Forest." At his answer, Harribel nodded before heading back over to the wall she was sitting against.

"I want another match when you come back."

"Yeah, Yeah, I'll be glad to beat you down anytime you want."

Heading up the stairs to the exit Ichigo opened a Garganta and disappeared into it.

Starring at the spot her fellow hollow occupied Harribel shook the weird feeling from her gut and resumed he meditation.

-Karakura Town/ Time Era: Modern Japan-

"What…the fuck are you?"

Turning his head over his shoulder Ichigo stared at the Shinigami-Taicho behind him.

**A/N: So yeah just a little three shot that popped into my head after I read the latest manga chapters. Now that you've read this story don't. Forget to review comment/point out any mistakes.**

***1- Bleach Wiki says that hollowfication is sped up by a special gas, in this story lets just say emotional distress speeds it up instead.**

***2- Just imagine Ichigos outfit from when he emerged from the shattered but with no sword.**


End file.
